You Can Be a Hero Too

Chapter 32: The Battle in Kamino Ward II

[Previously]

"You're late," said All Might as his mentor landed.

"And you're too fast," Gran Torino complained. 

[Training Camp Arc] The Battle in Kamino Ward II

"A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill

-You Can Be A Hero Too-

Fifteen minutes later, the exhausted five members of the group gathered in front of the station amidst crowds of evacuated citizens. The distant sounds of battle echoed through the streets, accompanied by blaring sirens, and a dark shadow loomed over the sky.

Itsuka, still catching her breath, was on the phone with Hitoshi, checking if he was safe. "Are you all right?"

"Fine. I joined Shoto and Uraraka in the crowd, and they're taking us to safety," Hitoshi replied.

Itsuka then inquired about Izuku's whereabouts, her concern piquing Kyo's interest. "Where's Izuku? He didn't come with you."

"No... that idiot said something about unfinished business and used his shadows to take me away when I insisted on staying with him," Hitoshi explained.

"Gah! That idiot... okay, we're at the station," Itsuka said before hanging up the phone.

Above their heads, helicopters whirred toward the ongoing battle. Itsuka shifted her attention to a large screen on the side of a building, where many others were also watching the unfolding events.

"Hey, guys," Itsuka's voice trembled. "Did we make the right choice?"

The others followed her gaze to the screen, and the news feed flooded in with the devastating situation.

"... It's like something out of a nightmare! In an instant, half of Kamino Ward was destroyed! All Might is battling the person we believe to be the ringleader... But there is only one villain! Holding his own against the Symbol of Peace!"

Whispers erupted all around them, filled with anxiety and confusion.

"The villains are relentless, aren't they?"

"Where are the other heroes? Why aren't they here?"

"How did all of this happen so fast?"

"But... All Might will handle it, won't he? He always does!"

"He looks severely injured..."

"Did the rest of the League escape?" Ida scanned the screen. "Yeah, they're all gone... just the one left..."

Bakugo growled. "This is bad. They took that foggy bastard's way out and got away."

Suddenly, Itsuka gasped, and the crowd reacted in unison, all eyes fixed on the screen. All Might's image appeared in a close-up from the live news feed, but he looked nothing like the hero they knew. His hair tufts were gone, his face angular and gaunt, and his costume hung limply, revealing scars and blood.

"Is this for real?" The reporter stuttered. "All Might has been... deflated..."

Just then, a streak of green appeared on the screen, and Izuku dashed onto the scene, confronting All for One.

"That reckless idiot!" Bakugo couldn't contain his frustration.

...

Zero turned around, determined to finish Compress, but Kurogiri intervened and teleported him away. Refocusing on the scene, he immediately noticed that All Might was in dire straits. With resolve, Zero activated all of his guardians' abilities, knowing he had fifteen minutes to act.